Windshield wiper blade

ABSTRACT

A windshield wiper blade (10) is proposed for the cleaning of windshields of motor vehicles. The windshield wiper blade has an elongated, flexible support element (12), and is provided with devices for connecting a powered wiper arm (14). An elongated wiper lip strip, made of rubber-like material, having a tip and a wiper strip lip is disposed on the support element and is equipped with an elongated spring runner enclosed by the tip. A simple means of mounting the wiper blade results, if the spring runner (30) is disposed in a prefabricated longitudinal channel (28) penetrating the entire length of the tip (24), and further if the spring runner (30) projects with its two ends (32, 33) from the tip (24), and if further these two ends (32, 33) of the spring runner (30) form support devices to secure the wiper strip (18) on the support element (12).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a wiper blade. In a known wiper blade of thisspecies (U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,916, FIGS. 21 to 23), the spring runnerenclosed by the tip of the wiper strip is of the same length as thewiper strip. Therefore special embodiments of the support element and/orthe tip held by the claws of the support element are necessary, so thatthe wiper strip is secured at the support element in its longitudinaldirection. But nothing therein has been disclosed in connection withthis. Also in this case, the spring runner is imbedded in the tip of thewiper strip, i.e. becoming integrally embodied right at its production.For this reason it must already be considered during the productionprocess of the wiper strip what type of windshield the wiper blade is toservice, so that the spring runner can fulfill its principal task--toprovide the best possible even distribution of the bearing force overthe entire length of the wiper strip--. The choice of spring runnerdepends upon a plurality of criteria, including for example thespherical curvature of the windshield to be wiped and the sloping of thewindshield with regard to the air stream. This results in an uneconomicinventory keeping of windshield wiper blades, if customer demands are tobe satisfied on a short-term basis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of present invention to provide a wiperblade which eliminates the disadvantage of the prior art.

In keeping with these objects in the wiper blade the spring runner isarranged in a longitudinal channel penetrating the entire length of thetip, and it protrudes with its two ends from the tip formed supportdevices that secure the wiper strip on a support element.

When the windshield wiper blade is designed in accordance with thepresent invention it allows the possibility of introducing a springrunner into the longitudinal channel of the prefabricated wiper strip inaccordance with customer requests. This simplifies the upkeep of theinventory. In addition, it allows by simple means to a achieve asecuring of the spring runner-loaded wiper strip on the support element.

For a longitudinally moveable lock of the spring runner in thelongitudinal channel of the wiper strip, the cross section of the springrunner is at least partially larger than the cross section of theprefabricated longitudinal channel.

A simple way of an even distribution of the bearing force over theentire wiper blade length can be achieved if the cross section of thespring runner tapers from the mid-section down to the end.

In this case, for practical purposes, the tapering of the spring runnercross section should be kept even.

A particularly simple embodiment of the mounting between the supportelement and the wiper strip is achieved, if the one end section of thesupport element has a stem facing the windshield and extending past themouth of the longitudinal channel, on which counter support devices arearranged, which cooperate with the one end of the spring runner embodiedas support device.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention for the formation ofeasier to assemble counter support devices, the latter are formed bymeans of an opening penetrated by the one end of the spring runner.

In order to enable the end user to easily replace the worn-out wiperstrip of the wiper blade, the other end section of the support elementhas an opening facing the windshield which is located at least in nearproximity opposite a corresponding opening in the other end of thespring runner and when both openings by means of securing devices arefixed in reference to each other. After releasing the securing devices,the wiper strip along with the spring runner can be removed and can bereplaced by a so-called "refill-set" --consisting of a wiper strip witha spring runner assembly--.

The securing devices are practically and cost-effectively constituted bya tension clip which is essentially U-shaped in cross section and madeof a flexible material whose two U-legs have a detent cam or detenttooth as securing device on the two sides of their free ends facing eachother, which when pre-loaded, work together with the openings serving ascounter detent device in the support element and the spring runner. Inorder to prevent a deformation of the operating wiper strip in thewiping direction, stabilizing devices are arranged on the supportelement, covering at least partial areas of the lateral sides of the tipwith support walls.

For purposes of easier assembly, the arrangement in the mid-section ofthe support element of these stabilizing devices can be outfitted withconnecting devices for the driven wiper arm.

Advantageous further developments and embodiments of the invention areshown in the following description of an exemplary embodimentrepresented in the related drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings are shown:

In FIG. 1, a lateral view of a wiper blade with its support elementbeing shown longitudinally in sections,

In FIG. 2, a view of the wiper blade in the direction of the arrow II inFIG. 1,

In FIG. 3, a top view of the wiper blade in accordance with FIG. 1,

In FIG. 4, a cross section of the wiper blade in accordance with FIG. 1along the line IV--IV in FIG. 1,

In FIG. 5, a basic view in perspective, not to scale, of a spring runneras a part of the wiper strip, and

In FIG. 6, an enlargement of the detail shown in FIG. 1, marked as VI.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A wiper blade 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a single frame-like support element12 which has an elongated shape and is made of flexible material. Thesupport element 12 has connecting devices 14 at its mid-section, onwhich a powered wiper arm 16 acts in a manner known per se. The wiperarm 16 is loaded in the direction of an arrow 17, so that a wiper strip18 held by a support element 12 makes contact with a wiper lip strip 20on the outer surface of a motor vehicle windshield 22 to be wiped. Thewiper strip 18 has a tip 24 (FIG. 4), on whose side facing thewindshield 22 to be wiped the wiper lip strip 20 is connected by way ofan elongated brace 26. The tip 24 of the wiper strip 18 made of arubber-like material is penetrated by a longitudinal channel 28, inwhich an also elongated spring runner 30 is disposed. The spring runner30 also provides the stabilizing effect of the wiper strip 19transversely to its longitudinal extension. The main function of thespring runner 30 is, however, to provide the best possible evendistribution of the bearing force of the wiper lip strip 20 on thewindshield 22. The length 31 (FIG. 5) of the spring runner 30 is of suchdimensions, that its two ends 32, 33 extend from the two mouths of thelongitudinal channel 28 existing in the tip 24. So that the springrunner 30 is secured against longitudinal shifts in the longitudinalchannel 28, its cross section is at least partially larger than thecross section of the prefabricated longitudinal channel 28 in the tip24. So that the bearing force (arrow 17, FIG. 1) is distributed asevenly as possible over the entirety of the longitudinal extension ofthe wiper strip 18, the cross section of the spring runner 30 tapersfrom its mid-section to the ends 32 and 33. This tapering, which cannotbe readily identified in the drawings (FIG. 5) because of its minordifference, which is actually difficult to recognize, can take placegradually as well as continuously. The tapering of the cross section canbe achieved in that the spring runner width 34 is tapering and/or byreducing the thickness 35 of the spring runner 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, the one end section 36 of the support element 12 isprovided with a stem 37, oriented toward the windshield 22 and extendingover the mouth of the longitudinal channel 28, its extension to thelongitudinal channel 28 having a opening 38 which is penetrated by oneend 32 of the spring runner 30. The other end 33 of the spring runner 30has an opening 40 opposite which an opening 42 at the other end 39 ofthe support element 12 is located. The two openings 40 and 42essentially point toward the windshield 22. In order to secure thespring runner 30 in respect to the support element 12, a tension clip 44with an approximately U-shaped cross section is provided. The two U-legs45 and 46 of the tension clip 44 (FIG. 6) made of a flexible materialare fitted with a detent tooth 47 or with a detent cam 48 on the sidesin the area of their free ends facing each other. The detent cam 48 isassociated with the opening 42 in the end 39 of the support element 12.The detent tooth 47 matches the opening 40 in the end 33 of the springrunner 30. The tension clip 44 is arranged in such a way that underflexible deflection of its two U-legs 45, 46 it can be assembled in thesame way as is shown in FIG. 6. The detent tooth 47 thus moves into theopening 40 of the spring runner 30, and the detent cam 48 into theopening 42 in the end-section 39 of the support element 12. The tensionclip 44, together with the end-section 39 of the support element 12 andthe end 33 of the spring runner 30, thus forms a support device forsecuring the wiper strip 18 on the support element 12. The oneend-section 36 of the support element 12, together with the stem 37provided with the opening 38, acting jointly with the end 32 of thespring runner 30 extending through the opening 38, forms a means forholding and securing the wiper strip 18 on the support element 12. Thusthe wiper strip 18 is freely suspended between the two support orsecuring devices 32, 36, 37, 38 or respectively 33, 39, 44, so that itcan optimally adjust to the curvature of the windshield 22 when bearingforce is applied (arrow 17). The detent tooth 47 resting in the opening40 as well as the detent cam 48 which sits in the opening 42 createsecuring devices against unintentional loosening of the tension clip 40from its operating position shown in FIG. 4, because its U-legs 45 and46 rest pre-loaded toward each other on the support element 12 and onthe spring runner 30, securing the two components to each other.

Additional stabilizing devices 50 (FIG. 4) are arranged on the supportelement 12, which serve as further improved stabilization of the wiperstrip 18 transversely to its longitudinal extension in the direction ofthe operating movement of the wiper blade. These stabilizing devices 50,which are arranged in the longitudinal center area of the wiper blade10, enclose the support element 12 (FIG. 4) in a claw-like manner andhave support walls 52 on each side of the tip 24, which face thewindshield and cover parts of the longitudinal side of the tip 24. Thusa possible sag of the wiper blade 18 in operational direction (viewed inthe direction of the two-headed arrow 54 in FIG. 4) can be limited orrespectively prevented by means of the support walls 52. On a base plate56 of the stabilizing devices 50 extending along the side of the supportelement 12 facing away from the windshield 22 connecting devices 58,known per se, for a hook-shaped end of the wiper arm 16 are attached. Inthe exemplary embodiment, these connecting devices 58 are formed by twowalls 60 extending parallel in respect to each other, which are arrangedspaced apart from each other and are joined together by a connectingbolt 60. The hook-shaped end of the wiper arm 16 acts on the connectingbolt 60.

By way of a special layout with regard to its cross section and itsmaterial selection of the support element 12 made of a flexiblematerial, a particularly good and even distribution of the bearing forcecan be achieved in connection with a specific matching between thespring runner 30 made of flexible material and possibly an appropriateprestressing of the spring runner against the windshield 22.

The arrangement of the tension clip 44 as detachable securing elementallows the end user to exchange the wiper strip 18 together with theintegrated spring runner without problems, since after taking off thetension clip 44, the "refill-set" consisting of wiper strip 18 andspring runner 30 can be easily removed. This can be done by merelypulling the end 32 of the spring runner 30 out of the opening 38 of thestem 37. Mounting of a new refill-set is done in reverse order.

I claim:
 1. A windshield wiper blade, comprising an elongated flexiblesupport element connectable to a powered wiper arm; an elongated wiperstrip composed of a rubber material and having a tip and a wiper striplip placeable on a windshield, said tip having a longitudinal channelextending over an entire length of said tip; a spring runner arranged insaid longitudinal channel and having two ends protruding outwardlybeyond said tip and securing said wiper strip on said support element,said support element having one end section provided with an openingfacing said spring runner, said spring runner being provided with acorresponding opening at an adjacent end of said spring runner; andsecuring means extending through said openings to secure said endsection of said support element and said adjacent end of said springrunner, said securing means comprising a tension clip.
 2. A windshieldwiper blade as defined in claim 1, wherein said tension clip is asubstantially U-shaped tension clip composed of a flexible material andincluding two legs each having a detent element cooperating with saidopenings.
 3. A windshield wiper blade as defined in claim 2, whereinsaid detent element is a detent cam.
 4. A windshield wiper blade asdefined in claim 2, wherein said detent element is a detent tooth.
 5. Awindshield wiper blade as defined in claim 1, wherein said spring runneris arranged under prestress.
 6. A windshield wiper blade as defined inclaim 1, wherein said spring runner has a transverse cross-section whichis at least partially larger than a transverse cross-section of saidlongitudinal channel in said tip.
 7. A windshield wiper blade as definedin claim 1, wherein said spring runner has a transverse cross-sectionwhich tapers starting from a mid-section toward said ends.
 8. Awindshield wiper blade as defined in claim 7, wherein said transversecross-section of said spring runner tapers off evenly.
 9. A windshieldwiper blade as defined in claim 1, wherein said support element hasanother end section which is provided with a stem adapted to face awindshield and projecting past a mouth of said longitudinal channel; anda counter support means provided on said other end section of saidsupport element and cooperating with another end of said spring runner.10. A windshield wiper blade as defined in claim 9, wherein said countersupport means is formed as an opening, through which said other end ofsaid spring runner extends.
 11. A windshield wiper blade as defined inclaim 1, wherein said support element is provided with stabilizing meanswhich cover at least partially areas of longitudinal sides of said tipby support walls.
 12. A windshield wiper blade as defined in claim 11,wherein said stabilizing means is located in a mid-section of saidsupport element and provided with connecting means for the powered wiperarm.